I love the autumn. The colourful trees in bright yellow and powerful red coats, the blue water peeping out between the naked branches at the far end of my garden, the brown leaf on the lawn of my cottage. The autumn is my favourite season, the scents so earthy of moist decay, the red squirrel collecting acorns for its winter storeroom at the feet of the old oak in middle of the garden, the mild damp smell of nuts and mushrooms. Cold mornings, regretting not wearing my gloves cycling to work; to be greeted by the most stunning sun rises colouring the sky decorated with clouds. That is something. After my splendid evening at noma in early August, I was floating. But after a fortnight, withdrawals set in. I was feeling love-sick and had to do something about it. I was ill and I needed medication.
For years I’ve been hearing about these wonderful and famous restaurants always abroad and too far away to really explore them. Then, all of a sudden there is a star in my own back garden. Lucky me. Thank you Yin, for reminding me!
To experience noma’s magical cuisine made of the products I see when I go for a walk on the beach on the North coast of Zealand or in the woods – that’s so inspiring. The fact the Danish herbs can take part in such a stunning dining adventure is amazing, and in a way it makes me proud.
Anyway, although I tried to stay away from noma’s website, on 18th of August I couldn’t resist any longer and booked my table for a lunch about two months later. Really wanted to go sooner but couldn’t fit it into my busy schedule.
Noma in the Autumn. I have experienced noma in the spring and summer, and I now wanted to see what the fruits of the fall would bring me.
Tuesday, 9th of October was the day, my day. On my way to the restaurant I couldn’t help myself smiling. I felt like a little child at Christmas’ eve so full of sparkling expectations and impatience. Then seeing the high flagpoles of noma’s neighbouring North Atlantic House made me so glad. Noticing the tiny noma door sign further away made my heart jump once and speed up a bit. I was so excited that I could barely open the door to restaurant, partly because it’s very heavy, but also because I knew that at the very instant of entering, the much appreciated and happily looking forward to it would end immediately.
The Snack
With a glass of the good N.V. Agrapart champagne of grapes from nine different parcels and the usual snack of herbs dip, skin and groats crisps, I was ready to go.
Smoked and pickled quail’s egg
Like at my August visit, I got the delicious pickled and smoked quail’s egg, but this day it arrived in a dotted eggshell designed especially for noma, and it fitting nicely the warm colours and nature-sentiment of the place. For some reason the funny softness and moistness of the sticky egg combined with the smoke reminded me of the Italian Scamorza cheese. Again this little egg was very enjoyable and perfectly salted.
The Appetizer
The clear and fresh appetizer of Löjrom with milk skin, iced horseradish, herbs, rye bread crisps spiced up with apple vinegar and oil from cold pressed rapes made a fantastic starter. When taking a bit of everything I got this divinity in my mouth, the cool and pronounced horseradish and the sweet milk and salty roes. I did not at all sense the skinniness of it. It was all pleasure and I felt good about being finally back at my favourite place in Copenhagen.
King crabs and ashed leeks
The wonderful King crabs. How can I describe this? Well, it was delicious in a gentle way. It was like a lover’s passionate touch on the cheek, the little gesture that tells you everything. This was everything. The tasty poached crab meat side by side with the leeks was a very good match, and the black ashes broke the total roseate, idyllic picture of it and added a bit of character. The smell of the toasted bread crumbs still warm and comprising salt suited nicely the sea fruits of crab and the mussel emulsion, which I think the white sauce was at the bottom. A lovely dish.
Mackerel and dried gooseberries, walnuts and anise
Warning! Turn down the sound on your machine before you watch the video. Unfortunately this clip is the only visual image I have of the dish, as I was so seduced by the dancing smoke swirling mysteriously over the fish that I forgot to photograph it.
Anyway, raw mackerel of highest quality with a fennel and dill soup spiced with walnuts, anise and nitrogen cooled gooseberries. I don’t think that I have ever gotten such delicious mackerel fish before, and the green soup was very fresh in taste. It was a very good course and a nice and surprising experience, but somehow it lacked something, and I’m not sure what – sweetness perhaps.
Mushroom and birch wine bouillon, egg yolk and chickweed
The look of this dish very much presented the tastiness of it. The mushrooms were of different textures, all very earthy and full in taste. The flavour of the birch wine bouillon somewhat resembled that of malt, but the soup had a lighter feeling to it. The egg yolk in the middle of the plate was softly poached, to keep it from messing up the nice look of the soup. The yolk added substance, the cracker added salt and the fresh herbs provided perspective. I’m a huge mushroom fan and this course was great – back on track.
The wine I had was a German 2005 Spätburgunder, I forgot the producer, sorry. The nose was fresh and fruity and had hints of kerosine and the taste was cool and a little bit closed at the beginning. After a while it offered warm pepper and a lot of fruit to the palate, I loved the clear Pinot Noir taste of it. The after-taste was shortish, but after some time in the glass more fruit evolved and the kerosine disappeared. Lau (head waiter I think) had suggested a fruity wine for the bouillon and I couldn’t agree more – this fruit bomb was a brilliant match and extended the whole experience. Bravo!
Ox-tails and verbena, apples and Jerusalem artichokes
I’ve had ox-tails many times before and especially as a kid. My mum would cook the tail cut in big and smaller pieces, and I ate it holding the bone between my thumb and index finger, sucking the tender meat and sometimes almost choking on the jelly-like ox fat. Although my mum is a great cook, this noma ox-tails were at least a hundred times better. White paper thin apple slices alternated by thick bites of Jerusalem artichokes, and next to them a boneless meat heap full of pure ox taste. The meat was covered by a delicate apples jelly, an intense and rich ox stock accompanied it and green verbena leaves were sprinkled about. The scent of the dish was heavenly, sweet and flowery. The verbena is a very particular herb, very perfumed and with such impression of flavours. It’s sweet like apples, and aromatic like garden balm with acidic notes.
The brilliance of the this main course also lied in the pairing of the Jerusalem artichokes and the ox meat with the apples and verbena herb. The sweetness was controlled by the sour. If anything was ever perfect, it has to be this dish, so cleverly imagined, a valley of paradisiac beauty. The highlight.
With a 2000 Henri Bonneau, Chateneuf du Pape it couldn’t be more delightful. The wine is entirely (?) composed by Grenache grapes, soft as silk, and fruity with a very delicious palate. It was full flavoured and had a very, very long after-taste. A great wine to go with the wonderful ox-tails.
Skyr sorbet, elderflower mousse, macaroons and wood sorrel
The next dish wasn’t either part of the menu, and what a sweet surprise it was. The beautiful and pink look of it was underlining the femininity of noma’s cuisine. The taste of it was so marvellous that I felt totally bashful. I still remember the lovely flavour of the sweet and perfumed elderflower mousse, which was balanced with the fruity citrus-flavoured skyr sorbet and the fresh sorrel. It was a perfect dessert to my taste and wondered if I could get my local ice-cream shop to fabricate such a fantastic sorbet.
Goat cheese and tarragon, blackberry segments
The main dessert looked kinda funny. It consisted of goat cheese ice-cream pointing directly at me, and rolled in frozen blackberry granules. Tarragon dust supported it as well as a blackberry juice. The flavours were perfectly balancing each other and really the strengths of the dish, a very interesting concept, but not really sweet. Mixing all the ingredients made the taste very good, although I don’t fancy goat cheese that much. I wondered whether some molecular prescription has instructed that tarragon eliminates the woollen goat milk’s annotations, because it truly hid the goat-ish taste of it. And I was happy that the white dust was so generously dozed. I imagine that to a goat cheese lover the dessert would have been heavenly.
The sweetness which wasn’t pronounced in this dessert was surely found in the wine. A 2005 Domaine Richard Leroy, Noëls de Montbenault, Coteaux du Layon Faye D’Anjou, France with a delightful golden colour and a sweet palate but with body too, making it very enjoyable. It added an extra dimension to the course – I mean frequently the wine is a food support, but here it had it’s own identity and that was remarkably nice and unique about it.
A cup of coffee
Flødebolle
You know that I have a sweet tooth, and I’m specially keen on flødeboller. Oh, how much I had hoped for it to re-join the coffee. It was absolutely delicious and with a very fresh-made mousse, which is the key to a good flødebolle. Note the stone under the pink beetroot amuse: It was very cold and prevented the chocolate from immediately starting to melt. In fact, it was just like it had spent all day long in the fridge just waiting for me. Yum yum!
I was lunching alone on this occasion, completely enjoying everything about it; watching the view of the room, and I admit, the other guests in the room to see how they were liking it. I just loved being there, and the peace of it entirely on my own, being back, tasting the wonderful food, feeling surprised and seduced once again.
I must mention again the picturesque beauty of each dish, which were presented before me. I always enjoy the food more when all my senses are being stimulated.
I had a wonderful time not least because of the hospitality of the staff, who totally spoilt me. Laurent speaks of serenity and the fact that it seemed like they were risking their life on each dish coming out of the kitchen. He is right! And I’d like to add that it’s the way that every single person working there is passionate about the place, cherish it, they care – otherwise they wouldn’t be there.
Going back to noma is for me like coming home, the service friendly but still adequately distinct, the atmosphere cosy but still elegant. I love the staff’s humour and wit.
Serenity, pureness and honesty. Big words I know. Well not too big for what noma is capable of.
Thank you, Rene.
And thank you, Lau.
I’m still in love! Very much.
Ps. Already booked again for next month. Couldn’t help it.
Well, you need to try the real thing! I’m trying and nose down where to get that.
Andersen’s in Santa Barbara, CA. I don’t know how good theirs is, but I thought the consistency was a little bit too thick, perhaps a touch too sweet, and I wished they had strained out all of the little berry seeds (I’m not good with seeds, even tiny ones). Not bad though. I can pronounce it somewhat accurately, if I try reeeeally hard.
Seriously? You’ve tried rødgrød med fløde (can you pronounce it?;). Where?
I’ve never had one before. 🙁 Just aebleskiver and roedgroed med floede.
(Grr I hate this computer. I don’t know how to type Danish letters in Windows and there’s no character viewer.)
Perfect spelling. Impressive. Do you like those? (noma’s are the best. Didn’t I already write why above?)
All I can think of now is, “Fem flade flødeboller på et fladt flødebollefad,” or however it goes. 😀
(I don’t really know any Danish, I just like to pretend I do.)
YKL, Thanks for your greeting on the wine list. It is a hard choice but your description did make the choice easier. for a short while.
Chuck, thanks so much for your links to your postings on Pierre Gagnaire and a very kind thank you for mentioning me in your post. Your Manresa sound fantastic and your photos of the food make me long to go there.
“Gastronaut”, the 1999 Maison Leroy Montagny 1 Cru is an excellent suggestion but making it even more difficult to choose what to drink. I might have to make a little survey.
And thank you very much for your sweet invitation – would love to come of course, but sitting right now in my summer house West from Copenhagen makes it rather difficult, unfortunately.
I have tried a 2003 Jobard which was great,but not 2004 one. On the other hand the two 2004 Domaine Leflaive were both amazing and not too acidic in their finish as far as I recall. So, what to do?
You eat a lot Chuck….wauuuwww.
I was a bit hasty reading your question about which wine I would prefer. I didnt see that they were not all 1997. In that case I would take the 2004 Dom. Leflaive.
But why not look further sown their list and take the 1999 Montagny 1 Cru from Maison Leroy ? Never tried a white Leroy though.
Pierre Gagnaire can be great or a supreme let-down. My best meal ever was there. My most expensive meal ever was there. They weren’t the same. From what I understand, no recipes of his are ever final – there are basics, of course, but Gagnaire will experiment and try something new throughout the same service.
It’s worth trying, and his fish is always perfect.
My best meal ever:
http://chuckeats.com/blog3/2006/10/04/gagnaire-paris-best-meal-of-my-life/
A very average meal:
http://chuckeats.com/blog3/2006/10/15/gagnaire-paris-strictly-business/
A letdown with a huge price tag:
http://chuckeats.com/blog3/2007/03/29/pierre-gagnaire-paris-what-is-value/
As I stated before, top producers in Burgundy get more out of village (or in above case not even village vines) than many other producers do in their 1. cru or Grand Cru wines.
I would believe the 1997 Bourgogne Blanc to have lost most of what attracts me to a wine, freshness, youth, flower…but I would follow the advice of YKL and go for the Maison Leroy.
I actually tried the Dom. Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc but in 2004 or 2005 at a wine bar recently. It was easily the best simple Burgundy white I had ever had with a very good nose.
But would I order a Bourgogne blanc at a top restaurant – nope.
So you are right in some fashion. Meet Mr. Wine Snob.
Im going to the Schlossberg on Sunday with a good friend of mine, a French sommelier. Its always nice to discuss wines and food with someone who knows the business. I am sure you would enjoy participating. Can you come ?
As for the Bonnes Mares in Paris…my mind nicely forgot about your question, because……I forgot. Which buggers me. It came at around 300 euro for a recent vintage, thats all I remember. And it was very good, but not a “top of the pops” producer to my knowledge.
… sorry to interrupt since I know absolutely zero about wine but I do have a distinct and happy memory of being served the 1997 Maison Leroy on a previous visit – and it was amazing. I remember it being rich and voluptuous – in fact I even tried to find some when I got home – but no luck!
You didn’t tell me which producer your Bonnes Mares was at Le 5? Maybe I just ask too much.
Would a “just” Bourgogne make any sense to you, like one of these below – knowing it’s presumably below your standard, but anyway:
1997 Bourgogne Blanc 465
Maison Leroy
2004 Bourgogne Blanc 395
Remi Jobard
2004 Bourgogne Blanc 565
Domaine Leflaive
Would make a 50%/50% split on my next lunch date…
Speaking of restaurants and Paris, my number one choice for when I go to Paris next time has to be Pierre Gagnaire. From what I’ve read and seen in photos at Laurent’s from this place, I just can’t miss it.
I definitely think you should go for a Meo…
my choices from their list
Chardonnay “Art Series“ 2003, Leeuwin – Margeret River 745, –
Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet 1999, Domaine Leflaive 1495, –
Chambolle Musigny 2003, Meo-Camuzet 695, –
Chambolle Musigny “Les Feusselottes” 2003, Domaine Meo-Camuzet 895, –
Nuits St. Georges “Aux Boudots” 2003, Domaine Meo-Camuzet 1100, –
Chambertin Clos de Béze 2003, A. Rousseau 1400, –
I like young and fat wines…but many would argue that 2003 has way too much sun, and are not typical Burgundy. I love them. But I also drink wines too young rather than too old. Like the feeling of a wine were I can imagine the potential it will have rather than have had.
I think their prices on Meo is quite fair whereas their offerings of Medoc wines are way to expensive. For example the 1999 Mouton is at 3775, – a 1000,- more than at Falsled !!!.
And the Palmer 2003 is a TOP vine, but I have to admit, way to young and powerful still. Try the more laid back and delicate 1996.
Else the other side of the river has some fine offerings…
Château Pavie 2001, 1. Grand Cru Classé 1200, –
Château Magdelaine 2000, 1. Grand Cru Classé 870, –
Château l’Angelus 2000, 1. Grand Cru Classé 1800, –
But go for the Meo….please…Have the Leflaive Grand cru and just a village Meo if the wallet cant breath…
I have been to Munkebo only twice, one of which was sublime and the second time almost as good. So have fun.
Do I like wine more than food….well, no I dont think so. I eat and drink every day. I have travelled Denmark for good food only NOT for wine lists…From Henne Kirkeby Kro, Fakkelgaarden, Munkebo, Marie Louise, Rudolf Mathies, Falsled, Babette, Saison, Noma, Formel B, Ensemble, Era Ora and certainly not least to Söllerod Kro.
Among my favourites abroad…is Lameloise in Chagny, Le Cinq in Paris, Le Carré des Feuillants in Paris, and recently added Schlossberg in Nennig Germany (My third and 4th visit coming up here real soon).
Biggest disappointment have been Sonora 3 stars in Wittlich Germany and Auberge de Ill, Mosconi and Table Guillaux, both 2 stars in Luxembourg.
Can a wine list make me prefer one restaurant over another….yeah probably it can, but I think that you are wrong when you say that I put wine above food. You must realize that the way you describe things food and wine…with such detail and dedication, I have really little to offer or add.
Thus my request from me to you…Please let your brain, mouth and spirit try the sublime wines as well, and let us hear what you think. And with the wine list of Munkebo Kro and price policy they seem to remain on most offerings, it would be a crime to go for a wine menu when you go there.
Sorry, you got me blabbering away again….
Appreciate your elaboration, there. 🙂
Okay then, while you’re here, I’m going to Munkebo Kro in the (hopefully) not too far future and it’s famous (somewhat at least) for its wine list. Which Bordeaux would you recommend me then? Palmer? I guess the Château Margaux there is way way out of my wallet’s league.
Assuming your Burgundy pick would be a Meo-Camuzet?
Ah, your Bonnes Mares, which producer did you say that was?
Thank you, “Gastronaut”!
(sorry but do wonder a bit about your name as you seem to me like more of a wine lover than a foodie, if you don’t mind me saying so).
Yup, it was a bit longer. He did actually first adress me with my name when he came over, which is so so so great, even though it was the first time we met. He then asked me about the wine celllar, if I liked it. I had made a request in the afternoon that was honoured promptly.
He then asked what we were having….their staff of sommeliers is of course informed about this and know when they tend the table, but he was sort of working “free lance”, – When I then said that we wanted red Burgundy with the main dishes, he did produce a worried face as well as claiming it could be difficult with the scallops. So when I informed him my idea….he said perfect choice and then explained why….hardly any acidity etc. so there you go…
And I like the “debate” with a sommelier as well, even look forward to it…but it just refreshing that once in a while you meet a true professional and top sommelier, and he just gives you the credit….when you get that the first time…you will love it Trine I am sure.
I realize and apologize if this is taking the focus away from your brilliantly written rewiew of another noma visit, but on the other hand, I have the feeling there will be many more of those to be looking forward.
If I were you suggesting the Bonnes Mares and the sommelier only replied ‘Perfect choice’ I would be thinking that he was just saying that to please me and to encourage me. I would have like him to argue exactly why it would be the perfect choice. But perhaps you only told the short version of the story. Or I just know too little about Burgundy, lamb and scallops.
I do know the feeling though. To feel special is an essential thing about dining out those fine places.
Too, it’s wonderful when you see the excitement in the eyes of the sommelier. I still very clearly remember the very sympathetic and passionate and professional sommelier from the Zirbelstube in Bad Mergentheim. A great place I would love to go back to.
well its two-sided you know. I think that I would really like your comments on the wines themselves…but with your wonderful way of describing the balance and pleasure you can get from the right wine with the right food…I think you cant ask for one without getting the other, unless of course you were only to describe a wine tasting which I dont think until now has been an issue for you.
Of course I realize the argument that a wine served by the glass recommended by a sommelier to a certain dish could often be preferable, but I would still argue that the pleasure you get out of top drops would compensate for that and that my experience even if top restaurants many times have been that at least half of a wine menu did not fit my tongue, even if I could understand the different considerations a sommelier had done in suggesting a particular wine.
But best thing is to actually ask the sommelier if a wine is totally out there, but sometimes…insist….cause I believe that often he/she would always feel the urge to professionally guide you and hence suggest his/hers alternative, justifying his exsistence.
Best experience I have had here was in Le Cinq last year – where I had a nice talk with Eric Beaumard, head of the restuarant, former best sommelier of the world and an institution in French gastronomy….I asked him for his opinion of my choice of a red Burgundy to St. Jaques and Lamb, our two main dishes, and further said that a Bonnes Mares had caught my eye…..He folded the wine “book” and said…perfect choice. (I am not sure it was….but it was such a good feelig, having this great man telling you – you made a good choice. And at least with my lamb it was a sublime wine. And the missus didnt complain either….liked the wine more than the dish. Going back to Le Cinq by the way next month…but first I have a German 3 star coming up next week…just bragging here….
Dear “Gastronaut”
Well, thank you for this very long list and intriguing comment. Very kind of you!
I wish I were richer! But your advice on picking a village wine from one of the world’s best producers, that’s a very good idea. I love very good wines. To understand you better, what you’re requesting is to read a post from my hand combing the very best food with top-notch a wines? Presumably not an average food experience with a Armand Rousseau 1er Cru Lavaux St-Jacques Gevrey-Chambertain, for example?
I mean the wet and dry combination of sublimity? (The personal level as you state it). And, on the other hand, not only what I think of a wine from a top producer and how I describe it?
Have tried both the Pichon Comtesse de Lalande and Baron Pichon Longueville (from 2000) and they made me change my mind completely about Bordeaux. A positive note. Perhaps, I should put Bordeaux on my 2008 list. Leroy and Meo-Camuzet are already on my wish list. 🙂
Well dear Trine,
You beeing a dedicated Pinot Noir drinker – and me beeing a Bordeaux fan, I might not be the one to tell you….but nevertheless I shall try.
In my humble opinion a good split on the bill between food and wine is 50%/50%. I think that when you have the possibility to try these top kitchens in the world, some of them only once or twice you should give the food the credit and yourself the pleasure that is only found in the best.
Whats the best then….very hard to tell….not knowing your taste…only knowing your ability to describe whatever you are eating or drinking with the perfection of a poetic writer or wine critic.
Anyway, since my missus is a Burgundy friend wedo often land their, and my most devive experiences there red-wise has been wines from Rousseau, Leroy and my favourite of them all Meo-Camuzet. You will find that these producers get more out of a Village wine than most others do from Premier Cru, even Grand Cru ones. White wines…if you ever get the chance try a Nuits-saint-georges from for example Philippe Gavignet. Otherwise I cant complain with your choises of Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet or Chassagne-Montrachet. Again here Domaine Leflaive is a sure bet, Oliver Leflaive much more affordable and less delicate, but still a very nice drop. I tried the top of the pops of whites “Montrachet” a few times and here Marc Collin was to die for. The nose…I tell you….you would have wet your pants….or at least enjoyed it like a child enjoys Christmas.
Bordeauxwise, I am very conservative. I am sure even with your Pinot Noir pallette, you will enjoy a Chateau Margaux very much, and little more down the line a Pichon Comtesse de lalande or Baron Pichon Longueville would do nicely in your mouth too. One of my favourites is Chateau Palmer. Last time at Falsled Kro, I asked Marco to give me a blinder….out of my 4 suggestions….and I ended up with the 1999 Mouton Rothschild, and it was so sublime that I would not have liked to miss that experience. Even if it came at around 350 Euro, I think it was a bargain.
So for the medocs, a grand cru classé Margaux or Pauillac would be my first choice to suggest you, but if you dont like them too fat, stay away from the 2003.
Tried a Leoville las Cases 1998, its wonderful:
On the other side of the river, you will find many wonderful St. Emillions among the Grand Cru Classé ones. Pomerol I know almost nothing about…but if you ever need an advice from a certain list dont hesitate to contact me.
I dont say you should always drink these wines only, I am ust saying,,…you have Noma, one of the best restaurants of the world, around the corner, and apparently yougo their pretty often. You really should try one of their top Burgundys….Also look out for Anne Gros and lighter but elegant Rene Engel. A new little producer which I have stumbled upon abroad is Trapet, but I am not sure he is found in Copenhagen.
Good luck….and dont take this all too serious…hell its just my opinion…and you seem to have fun and enjoy the dining pleasures to a great extent.
But on a personal level I would be truly interested in your vote/judgement on some of the top drops I have been lucky to enjoy. And I have to repeat. Try a Meo-Camuzet, just a village one…you will fall in love immediately.
Yin, thank you! Hope you’re having a wonderful time. 😉
And thanks to you “Gastronaut”! I think you’ll have to state what exactly you mean by top wine?
Perhaps I should just bring my own next time? 😀
Thanks again for a great read. Most enjoyable and very sensual.
The troll thing about Noma……well I laughed when I read it….and I totally agree, but I would refer it to the serving of the bread, the wooden furnishing and the “hunting” knives on the table….and the cave feel of the restaurant.
Cant wait to go back there one fine day….
Until then – keep up the good work.
P.S.
I wonder why you dont upgrade your wines in general, when I look at the amount of good food you are spoiling yourself with, I think you have yet to explore the true pleasures of combining top food with top wines. With your sublime palette and nose I am sure when you do go there one fine day, you will seldom go back…which of course is dangerous for any wallet. However, I would love to hear your descriptions of my favourite Burgundy or Bordeaux choices…I am sure you can find stuff in there I have never thought of….being just your average hobby drinker.
Just utterly lovely … thank you Trine
Chuck – noma is at the top of your 2008 list? Seriously? Wow.
jealousy – this is my #1 pick for 2008 – i will make it there somehow.
Woooow 😀 – what an absolutely overwhelming response today. Thank you every one! You guys make it all worth the work!
Thanks Allan, you should try it – dining alone is fantastic! But my appointment next month is actually not alone, by the way. 😉
Laurent, dear, you have to go back for a lunch at noma! – I’d be happy to keep you company – needless to say :o). Lunches are great because there is light everywhere all the time. Not to get the photos better, but to enjoy the food even more I mean. Light is everything!
Oh yes, I believe about 5/6 tables were occupied that day, and I think I heard someone mention that they don’t allow as many at noon as in the evening.
Many thanks, sweet Zarah. Have you ever been to noma? I’m sure that after your graduation you’ll be dining our much more that me 🙂 You will (I imagine) have lots of opportunities to go to lunch.
Maybe you should swap your EO date tomorrow with a sneak to noma instead, Thomas? Nhaaar 😉
Ehm, I only had the sparkling stuff with the fish (you know, trying not to get dunk at mid day already). Lau, the sweetie, gave me three glasses of (different) wine although I ordered just one that I hoped could accompany both the mushrooms dish and the ox-tails.
Julot 🙂 , interesting query. The first time I heard that term used for describing noma’s cuisine was from a chef. A male chef. I don’t know exactly what he meant by that, but what I’m thinking of are the connotations for “feminine”. Refined, delicate, elegant. Noma’s food is really like that in my view. By refined I mean for example the use of a herb like verbena, I think it’s a clever person who think of using such. The delicacy and elegance is found in the simplicity and the pureness of the way the dishes are composed and the way the food tastes. Finally, and maybe this is what most people mean, after a full menu of 7,8… 12 different dishes you don’t feel like a starting food hangover.
The funny thing is, that Thomas has also argued that there is something troll-ish about noma’s kitchen. What do mean by that, Thomas?
– Everybody, please join in the discussion if you’d like – I suppose that Julot is questioning anybody!
Trine
This is another mouth-watering review. While it is and looks so modern, Noma also present the traditional ingredients of really life-changing restaurant: personal commitment and an absolute reverence to ingredients. This is not only mouth-watering: it is moving.
Now I would like to know what the feminity of a food is. No offence, but every time I hear that it seems to me like some kind of anti-men racism, and I would really like to know what it means that a cooking is feminine.
HI Trine,
Great…simply great..same menu we had, when I visited in late September.
Noma is unique…I have to go back SOON!!!!…and yes the 2000 Henri Bonneau is out of this world….What wine did you have with the first dishes?.
Thanks for sharing.
Best,
/Thomas
AARRRRGGHHH!!!! I want to go too! Beautiful. Pretty, special, awesome. Awe-stricking. And a whole lotta jealousy. Lucky, lucky you Trine!:)
Wow Trine…
Beautiful pictures, wonderful review… i’m impressed again (by this place, and by you :o)
One (non innocent) question : was the restaurant fully booked for lunch ?
Cheers
Laurent
Lovely description and as always great photos. The Skyr sorbet is art, no doubt.
Going to lunch for yourself, you are an addict 🙂